


First Year - Breaking Free From Her Shackles

by MinkaMouse



Series: Crossroads [1]
Category: Harry Potter - Fandom
Genre: Childhood Friends, F/M, Family Issues, Family Secrets, Past Abuse, Past Child Abuse, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Weasley Family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-30
Updated: 2017-07-17
Packaged: 2018-11-21 10:40:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11355792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MinkaMouse/pseuds/MinkaMouse
Summary: Zoey Anastasia Black.Daughter of the notorious Sirius Black and the late Lucy Emeraude.Zoey needed to get away from her abusive Aunt Damiana and saw Hogwarts as her key to freedom. Now that she's eleven years old, she uses the name "Zoey Emeraude" in order to distance herself from the stigma of her lineage. She just wanted a fresh start in Hogwarts, her haven for the next seven years. She certainly did not expect the adventure that a certain redhead would bring.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This was my first (and only) Harry Potter fanfiction that I had posted on fanfiction.net (under the name AnimeFlowerGirl) back in 2011. I've been thinking about revisiting this story and revising several things in it. I hope you all enjoy it :)

Zoey was pretty sure that she was having one of her more terrible nightmares as she stood in front of a large, foreboding house that looked anything but lived in. The gate was chipped and rusted and the lawn was overtaken by weeds and dying plants. It reminded her of the haunted houses muggles went into for fun and wondered why anyone would think it was a good idea to enter such a place.

Despite all her senses telling her to pick up her suitcase and run back to her old home, Zoey pushed the gate opens, allowing a loud screech of old metal to break through the air. She took a step back when she saw the gate sway from her force and she panicked over the thought of it falling off its hinges.

A heartbeat passed before Zoey thought it safe to slip through the small crack that she had created, her suitcase in tow, and cautiously walked down the rocky path that lead to the front door. She ignored the way the tall grass tickled her uncovered ankles and tried to keep herself from jumping whenever she heard rustling from the trees and bushes.

 _It's nothing._ She would reassure herself. _It's just your imagination. Nothing to worry about._

She worried anyway.

When she finally reached the mahogany door, her trek slow for she did not want to face reality just yet, Zoey pulled out a key from her coat's pocket and shakily jammed it into the lock. It took a couple tries before a resounding click came. The door swung open with an eerie creak and Zoey's fight or flight senses kicked into action.

She shouldn't be here. She should be back at her old home with her mother. The two of them would be in the living room right now, chatting over a steaming, hot dinner that she and her mother had prepared only hours before. Her mother would be telling her stories about her father's shenanigans with his friends when they were still in school and Zoey would be asking her how they fell in love.

Zoey would trade anything and everything to have one last dinner with her mom but, alas, it was not possible. Her mother was dead.

Suddenly, the door swung close behind Zoey, scaring her out of her thoughts. She fell forward, her bag toppling next to her, and she felt her mind shut down for just a moment. Her body froze and her heart beat frantically against her chest. When she realized that it was just a gust of wind, she tried to calm herself but it was no use. Her whole situation was something to be panicked over and the door slamming had thrown her over the edge.

Zoey felt sick. A cold sweat slid down her temple and her hands began shaking as she reached towards her neck, her nails scratching at her skin. She could not breath. The air around her was too thin, she was suffocating.

She slumped to the floor and chocked. She felt like she was sinking, drowning. Zoey gasped for air but the dust that had accumulated in the house had enter her lungs and she hacked. Tears welled up in her eyes and, like a child, she began crying out for help.

"What do we have here?" A sickly sweet voice echoed from somewhere in the house. "Has my favorite niece finally come to play?"

Zoey felt herself go numb when she lifted her head from the floor and came face to face with the end of a polished, black wand. Her eyes focused in the tip before drawing her gaze towards its owner. In front of her stood a woman somehow greatly resembled her mother but at the same time looked entirely different.

The woman's hair was an ashy brown while her mother's locks resembled chocalate. Instead of warm, brown eyes gazing down at her, Zoey was met with a piercing blue glare. The woman had the same face shape as her mother though - they had the same pink cheeks and their brows arched the same way.

"You have some nerve not showing yourself for nine years, Zoey," the woman said with a sneer. Zoey saw another difference - the woman's lips were painted a bold red. Her mother never wore anything on her lips. "I say you need to be punished."

Zoey's eyes widened when she saw the tip of the woman's wand glow and before she knew it, she was wringing in pain on the floor, screaming.


	2. Chapter 2

Zoey Emeraude had no one to see her off so she had boarded the Hogwart's Express long before anyone else had. She was already comfortably settled in her chosen compartment when the first wizarding family came with their child (an excited first year, just like herself) and now it was five minutes before eleven o'clock and the families on the platform did not dwindle. It was almost time for the train to leave, its whistle going off in warning, and the parents began saying their good-byes and calling out reminders as their children boarded. Zoey found herself envying each and every student she spotted as well as mentally checking what she had packed as she listened to the parents. She was pretty sure she packed her toothbrush as well as an extra scarf for when the whether got cold.

Four minutes to eleven.

Zoey folded her legs under herself. Her back was aching from being in the same position for so long but she could not find it in herself to walk down the train to stretch her muscles.

Three minutes to eleven.

She watched the students giving their last farewells - some even waved from their open windows. Zoey straightened in her seat when she saw a family of red heads coming into view. The mother was hurriedly kissing each of her children - the ones who were attending Hogwarts - on their cheeks and giving them hugs so tight that they looked like they could no longer breathe. Zoey was surprised when she saw that it was now two minutes to eleven (the family in time had barely made it) and the mother still took time to see her children off properly.

Zoey felt herself letting out a soft laugh when she saw the twins of the family banging their heads together when their mother hugged them at the same time. A smile played on her lips when they both rubbed their heads and pouted. Zoey wished she had a twin, or rather a sibling, or a decent relative.

Suddenly, Zoey caught sight of a violet haired girl standing beside the twins. How had she not noticed her yet? She had violet hair!

To Zoey's surprise, the mother hugged the girl as well. She had winced but did not push the woman away.

Thirty seconds to eleven.

The Hogwarts Express' whistle blew once more and the mother ushered the children onto the train and she did not stop waving even when the train began to move away from the station. It was now eleven o'clock and Zoey was on a one way trip to freedom.

* * *

Zoey's leg jerked her awake and she found herself sweating and breathing heavily. She closed her eyes and tried to remember her dream but, like most dreams, she had already forgotten what it was about. Looking out the window, she saw that she had no idea where she was. All she knew was that she was far  _far_ away from the horrid place she was forced to call "home."

"Anything from the trolley, dear?"

Zoey looked over to the door of her compartment and saw that there was an elderly lady standing there with a soft smile and a trolley filled with sweets. Zoey found herself reaching into her pocket and bringing out a handful of different colored coins. She bought two chocolate frogs. 

She opened the box and screamed in surprise when the frog jumped out of it. She fell of her seat and watched the frog hop around the chair before jumping out the crack above her window and flying out the train. Zoey blinked, trying to process what had just happened, and looked back into the box. She frowned when she realized that she just lost her sweet as well as her appetite for it. She did not want to open the second box.

Suddenly, a large  _bang_ came followed by angry yells, laughter, and running footsteps. Zoey dared to look outside the door of her compartment and saw the redheaded twins from before running with mischievous grins on their faces. Trailing behind them was the violet haired girl.

The girl slowed her run and stopped in front of Zoey's compartment. Zoey took a step back when she saw that this girl had gold colored eyes. Her features were so interesting that Zoey felt very plain when compared to her. After all, Zoey only had brown hair (darker than her mother's but lighter than her dad's) and grey eyes.

The girl opened the door and Zoey immediately clamped her hands over her nose and mouth when a found odor seeped into her compartment. Unfazed, the girl closed the door behind her and walked towards the window, opening it. 

"Unless you want this compartment to stink like Dungbomb, excuse me for opening the window." The violet haired girl spoke sternly with irritation at the questioning look Zoey was giving her. "On second thought, you should be grateful I did those things." She sat down on the opposite side of Zoey's chair and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Why does this happen to me?"

"...What happened exactly...?" Zoey spoke, her voice soft. She had never had the chance to speak with anyone her age before and she did not know how to. 

"Fred and George. Dungbombs. Wanted to test it out on Percy, I presume." The girl said as she looked out the window, crossing her arms over her chest. Outside, Zoey could hear the disgusted and angered screams of the other students as well as orders to open the windows. 

"Who?"

"Fred and George Weasley. Word hasn't reached this part of the train, hasn't it?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Zoey said, playing with the hem of her jumper. She began to feel really stupid. "Fred? George? Percy? I don't know them. Dungbombs? I thought they weren't allowed in school-"

"That's why they set it off in the train."

"Who are you anyway?" Zoey found herself asking before realizing that she probably sounded very rude.

"I don't introduce myself unless the stranger introduces herself." Gold eyes flickered to Zoey.

"I'm Zoey," Zoey introduced herself before adding, "Emeraude."

The girl was silent. She seemed to be studying Zoey. "Hmm...Zoey. Life." The girl then said. "My name is Echo. Echo Acheflour Hyacinth Beaumont."

"You have an interesting name," Zoey said after a heartbeat. 

Echo opened her mouth to reply but her words died on her lips when the compartment door banged open, revealing the redheaded twins. 

"So this is where you've been hiding, Echo!" The twin on the right said with a large grin.

"We've been looking everywhere for you!" The twin on the left said.

Echo groaned as she tilted her head back on her seat before saying, "When I finally get company other than you two, you guys blow up the moment! Seriously, what did I do wrong?"

"You hurt us." Twin one said, hand over his chest.

"And to think we came here to tell you and your friend that we're nearing Hogwarts and we should change into our robes." Twin two had a smirk on his lips.

Echo rolled her eyes when the twins left and faced Zoey.

"Shall we?"

Zoey slowly nodded her head and reached up for her suitcase.

This was it. There was no turning back. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zoey gets sorted and her first day of school.

Zoey played with the hem of her robe's sleeves as it was nearing her turn to be called. The student before her has just been declared Gryffindor and she skipped towards her house's table practically beaming with pride. Zoey, like any other First Year who was yet to be sorted, was very nervous and could not stop her mind from wandering to thoughts of which House she would be sorted into.

Slytherin? No. Zoey knew for a fact that she did not have the qualities of a Slytherin. She was a pure-blood, but she was sure that the Sorting Hat took other things into consideration when sorting. Zoey was not cunning, shrew, ambitions, nor determined.

Slytherin was the first to be crossed off her list.

What about Gryffindor? Zoey shook her head at the thought. Gryffindor was the House of her parents, but it was not her House. She was not brave enough to be placed into Gryffindor. if she were, she probably would not have been scared of the chocolate frog.

Ravenclaw was crossed of the list almost as quickly as the previous Houses. Zoey was no idiot, but intelligence, clerverness, and wit were not her stron points.

All that was left was Hufflepuff - the House that was known for students who were hard-working, friendly, and loyal.

Before Zoey could even think if she would fit in with the Hufflepuffs (she did not want to know what would happen if the Sorting Hat could not place her anywhere), her thoughts were interrupted. Someone was nudging her.

Zoey looked up from the her feet and saw that dozens of eyes were look at her. She began to panic. Was it her turn already? How many times was her name called?

A deep red blush painted her cheeks and she turned around (maybe they were looking at someone behind her?) to see the red headed twins from before. The one of the left bent down to her height and whispered in her ear.

"Are you Zoey Emeraude?" He asked her.

Zoey nodded and he grinned.

"You're up next." His twin said with a similar grin. "Don't want to keep the rest of us waiting."

"Your name has been called at least four times. Better get up there." The first twin said.

Zoey's eyes widened in horror and she quickly turned to the front and made her way towards the Sorting Hat. All eyes were still on her and she wondered if she would feel as unnerved if she had gone up when called the first time.

Once she was at the front of the hall, she gave the professors an apologetic look and promptly sat down on the stool. From where she was seated, Zoey focused her gaze on the doors in front of her. She did not want to make eye contact with anybody.

The Sorting Hat was carefully placed on top of her head.

The room was quiet and Zoey all but squealed in her seat when she heard a voice in her head.

_"Aren't you the jumpy one? Just like your mother."_ The Sorting Hat said with a chuckle. _"Hmm... Emeraude... I've only sorted one Emeraude in my entire life of sorting, but I've sorted dozens from the Noble House of Black. Yes... yes... You have Sirius Black's blood running through your veins."_

Zoey felt her palms begin to sweat. It seemed like she was either going to be sorted into Gryffindor or Slytherin at this rate. She squeezed her eyes shut, hoping that it was the former.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" The Sorting Hat bellowed and Zoey felt herself melt with relief. She got of their chair and made her way down the steps, being redirected by one of the students when she was going the wrong way.

_Hufflepuff..._ Zoey squeezed herself between a Third and Fourth Year. _I can be a Hufflepuff..._

* * *

"Excuse me! Pardon me!"

Zoey pushed her way through the hundreds of Hogwarts students who were exiting the Great Hall at the same time. Schedules had been given out and everyone was heading for their first class.

"Sorry!"

Zoey slipped through the towering Seventh Years and made her way towards the light (when was she going to get her growth spurt?). According to her schedule, she had to make her way to the Green House for Herbology.

When Zoey finally got through the crowed (her robes falling off her shoulders), she sighed with relief. She pushed her hair away from her face and ran towards the direction of the Green House. All she needed to do was leave the hallway she was in and walk down the stony path leading the Green House. She saw her fellow Hufflepuffs along with the Ravenclaws heading to class and realized that she no longer had to rush. Zoey caught her breath and was just about to join her classmates when something rammed into her, pushing her to the ground.

Zoey's bag flew open, sending her books, parchment paper, and quills into the air. She winced when her things fell back on the ground and she hoped that none of her ink bottles broke. Rising to her knees, Zoey began to pick up her things.

"Sorry 'bout that. I wasn't looking where I was going."

Zoey looked up from under her lashes and her eyes made contact with the bluest orbs she had ever seen. They seemed to twinkle with laughter and mischief and Zoey felt her breath get caught in her throat.

One of the twins had accidentally ran into her. He held out his hand to help Zoey up, a grin on his face when he effortlessly pulled her to her feet.

"You okay?" He asked.

The bell rang before Zoey would reply. She let out a gasp, stuffing her things into her bag, and made her way down the stone steps. She did not want to be late on her first day in her first class. Some first impression that would be.

Speaking of impression, Zoey slowed down and looked back to where the redhead was standing. He was looking down at her with a bemused expression.

"Thank you!" Zoey called out to him before stumbling her way to the Green House.

* * *

Zoey looked around the Green House in awe before making her way towards an empty seat at the back of the classroom. She carefully placed her things on the table (one of her ink bottles had broke) before looking around again. The whole room was covered with different kinds of plants, each looking more interesting than the last. Zoey wanted to touch the flowery looking plant behind her but before she could, someone called out to her.

"Good Morning, Zwei!" It was Echo.

Zoey looked at the Ravenclaw oddly and pointed a finger to herself. Surely Echo was calling someone else.

She wasn't.

Echo nodded her head and pointed to the stool beside Zoey, motioning her to sit. Zoey drew in a breath before picking up her things and placing them by Echo's side. When she sat down, she gave Echo a questioning look.

"Glad you accepted my offer. I don't plan on making friends with the hoodlums around us anytime soon. By the way, what made you so late?"

"I was actually on time but someone crashed into me," Zoey explained.

"Let me guess, bumped into someone who looked like the prince you've been dreaming about since you were five? Or, is he your prince?" Echo grinned wickedly.

Zoey flushed at the thought. "Of course not!" She said a little too loudly. "I don't even know his name." She lowered her voice. She had to stop her habit of attracting attention to herself. "He ran into me, that's all. A prince? Ha!"

"I suppose misfits like us won't have a need for them at all. Princes could always manipulate you to death-threatening points." Echo shrugged as she propped her elbow on the table and placed her cheek on her palm.

The Green House door opened and in came the professor, a small and squat woman with flyaway hair.

"Good Morning, class!" The woman said, clapping her hands together. "I'm your Herbology teacher, Professor Sprout."


	4. Chapter 4

It was time for dinner and Zoey quietly sat with her roommates on the Hufflepuff table. 

On the table, there were plates full of chicken, beef, pork, pasta, corn, rice, soup, fruits, and pastries. Just by looking at the large selection of food, Zoey felt full. She slouched in her seat and used her fork to poke the grains of corn on her plate. She popped one into her mouth and looked around the Great Hall. Everyone was talking - some were huddled up in their own group and others were visiting their friends from different Houses. 

Zoey felt lonely. Sure, she was with her roommates but she was not exactly sure if she could talk to them just yet. They seemed to have formed a group on their own and Zoey felt a bit out of place with them. One of the girls, her bed was next to Zoey's, seemed friendly enough to approach but she was currently having a conversation with somebody else. 

Suddenly, someone squeezed themselves into the space beside Zoey, surprising her. It was Echo and she held a pastille in her had, eating it before waving at the Hufflepuff. 

"Aren't you supposed to be at the Ravenclaw table?" Zoey found herself asking before realizing that she sounded rude. Echo did not seem to mind, in fact, she snorted. 

"They're not worthy of my presence. Most of them are dumb and unsophisticated."

"Dumb...? But they're in Ravenclaw..."

Echo waved her comment off. "I'm here because I you need to know about the oh-so-famous Weasley twins. You know, before you get yourself acquainted with them another way."

"Like a prank?" Zoey has heard about the twins. They were quickly making a name for themselves. They were nothing like their older brothers, she heard.

"Exactly." Echo nodded. "Look at the Gryffindor table. Right is George and left is Fred. Got it?"

Zoey frowned. "Is there any other way to tell them apart?" She was sure that the twins did not have a permanent seating (or standing) arrangement. "Like a misplaced freckle or a visible birthmark? I don't want to accidentally call one the other's name..."

"George is much more kinder than Fred," said Echo.

 _That's no help at all..._ Zoey thought to herself. 

"Anyway, George has his eyes set on someone and he can bug you out with his total kindness." Echo continued with a cough. Zoey was not sure why Echo felt the need to tell her that and she felt the air around them grow awkward.

"...noted." Zoey paused. "One of them ran into me this morning. Would you know who it was?"

"Fred. He would have prank ideas running off in his head."

"Running into me was a prank?"

"He was most likely running  _away_ from a prank."

* * *

Zoey held her breath as she hid behind one of the many statues decorating the walls of Hogwarts. She placed a hand over her growling stomach and prayed that no one else could hear it. She had missed lunch because she had to run away from a couple of Slytherins who decided that it would be fun to pick on her, casting spells that would spill ink all over her notes and sticking her shoes together. She hoped that these Slytherins were just particularly mean today and were not targeting her because they knew who she was.

 _Please don't be them. Please don't be them._ Zoey chanted in her head when she heard the voices of people coming her way. 

"This idea is brilliant!" The voice echoed through the semi-empty hallway. It was followed by laughter. Zoey released the breath she was holding and peaked from behind the statue to see three Gryffindors and Echo. The Gryffindor students were none other than the Weasley twins and their friend, Lee Jordan.

Zoey knew for a fact that the Weasley twins had a reputation for being prankster who never missed an opportunity to pull a prank on a "helpless" Slytherin or anyone who deserved it. They knew Hogwarts like the back of their hands and knew how to make a quick escape or a grand entrance. Zoey looked over to Echo and saw that the Ravenclaw was not laughing with her friends because she was too busy reading the book in her hands.

Suddenly, the school's bell rang. Fred, George, Lee, and Echo had already left and Zoey breathed out a sight of relief. She did not know what to tell them if they caught her coming out from her hiding place. Without waiting a moment longer, Zoey made her way to her Charms class.

Zoey was thinking about what Professor Flitwick had discussed last time (just in case he would ask the class for a recap) when she pushed the classroom's door open. 

What happened next happened so quickly that Zoey did not have the chance to properly process it. 

When Zoey stepped into the classroom, she was immediately drenched by some sort of sticky liquid before feathers were poured over her. When the last feather drifted to the ground, Zoey heard the classroom erupt with laughter.

Most of the class were laughing so hard that there were tears in their eyes and they curled over their desks, holding their stomachs. Only a handful had the decency to look worried.

Echo (who had been in the classroom hoping to discuss something with the professor before leaving for her own class) approached Zoey and scowled. 

"Zwei! Are you alright?" Echo asked although she could see that Zoey was anything  _but_ alright. 

"I'm fine," Zoey replied out of reflex, shuffling her feet. It took a lot of effort to lift each foot from the ground, the glue-like liquid working its magic with keeping her rooted. "I can't say the same for my things though, but it's alright." She then said, not wanting to trouble the Ravenclaw. 

"So who was the victim this time?" Fred asked from his seat when he finally got over his fit of laughter. He and George craned their necks to see who had fallen prey to their prank - why they decided to sit so far from the scene of the crime, they had no clue. They just thought they needed to be far enough to hide just in case it was Professor Flitwick that walked through the door. 

"You gits!" Echo glared at the twins. "Do you not care that a girl's been your victim?" She pulled out her wand from her pocket. "Wait till I tell your mother about this!" She then cast a spell that made books fly towards the twins and thwack them at the back of their heads. 

"Echo! What the bloody hell is your problem?" Fred cried as tried his best to shield himself. 

"She's my friend!"

"It was just a harmless prank!" George defended. 

Echo huffed and grabbed hold of Zoey's arm, dragging her out the room and towards the Hospital Wing. 


End file.
